Mike Prendergast, Spokesperson for Southport Conservatives, has strongly criticised the Labour Government’s deal with the EU, calling it “a betrayal of Brexit and a sell-out of British sovereignty.”
The deal includes extended EU access to British fishing waters until 2038, alignment of UK food safety standards with the EU, and the merging of emissions trading schemes.
“This deal is nothing short of a capitulation, each time Labour negotiate, Britain loses” said Prendergast.
“Labour has handed over 12 more years of access to our fishing waters to the EU in exchange for vague promises on trade, bureaucracy and passport e-gates, which many EU destinations allow UK passport holders to use anyway.”
“For a few minutes off a passport queue we’ve given away 12 years of fishing rights. Where is the ambition for our country, this was a chance to get more for Britain and we’ve ended up with less.”
Prendergast expressed concern over the implications of these concessions, “Labour is aligning us with EU rules without any say in their creation, effectively making the UK a rule-taker. Something that Keir Starmer promised he would not make the UK.”
“This undermines the very sovereignty that 17.4 million people voted for in 2016.”
He also criticised the proposed youth mobility scheme, warning it could reintroduce aspects of free movement: “Labour’s plan to allow young Europeans to live and work in Britain under the guise of a youth mobility scheme is a backdoor to free movement. This move disregards the clear message from the British people during the Brexit referendum.”
Prendergast further highlighted concerns over the financial implications of the deal: “We will now be paying money to the EU despite not being involved in decisions.”
“Labour’s willingness to integrate our emissions trading with the EU’s system will also make it much more likely that energy bills will go up due to higher carbon pricing within the EU. These are potentially massive costs for households.”
“This deal is a betrayal of the British people’s decision to leave the EU. It prioritises appeasing Brussels over protecting British interests. It’s a bad deal for the UK and gives the EU a huge amount for not much in return.”
“It’s still abundantly clear that Keir Starmer can’t be trusted on Brexit and Conservatives will reverse this deal at the first opportunity.”